Page 16 - TAF Promo v3

Science & Innovation

High-tech imaging of

livestock, from paddock

to plate

Written by Fiona McGill - University of Technology Sydney

Farmers will soon have new ways of raising prime beef that will better satisfy market
requirements and meet consumer demand. The University of Technology Sydney
(UTS) is developing an artificial intelligence (AI) system able to give an objective
assessment of animal conditions to guide livestock producers as they prepare
their herds for market.

obotics expert Alen Dr Alempijevic has now received
Alempijevic, a senior funding for his research through
Access to science, Technology, Innovation, Productivity and Profitability
lecturer in the Faculty 2020 under a $4.8 million Federal
of Engineering and IT Government grant awarded to Meat
Rat UTS, is developing & Livestock Australia (MLA). The
technology that uses inexpensive, next stage of his work will include
off-the-shelf cameras to analyse monitoring live animals and carcasses
cattle as they pass through a yard. to better understand what determines
Sensors operating at 30 frames per yield and product quality.
second capture 3D images of each
cow’s fat and muscle deposits, Richard Apps is the research program
which are then used to calculate manager at MLA, which is using the
an accurate “condition score” for Rural Research and Development
each beast. grant to finance a range of projects
for the beef and lamb industries
“At the moment A beef producer could then use this while also collaborating with the pork
we rely on poor analysis to decide, for example, the industry.
information nature and duration of a feeding
from a range regime to bring an animal to prime Mr Apps, also a beef producer at
of different condition, or how to manage their Armidale (on the NSW northern
measures, and breeding program. The technology tablelands), says beef and lamb
accuracy can be could also be used by saleyard producers are crying out for better tools
as low as 20 to 30 buyers and meat processors when to measure and manage their stock to
per cent.” selecting live animals. hit yield and eating-quality benchmarks.

The Australian Farmer • Issue 2017